Logitech rejects AI gadgets: ‘A solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist’
Image: Mattias Inghe
From graphics cards to mid-sized cars, you can’t find any new electronics that don’t claim to be “AI-powered” in some way. That includes Logitech’s mice and keyboards, some of which are being loaded specifically with “AI” buttons. But the CEO of Logitech says she sees no value in infamous “AI” gadgets, such as the Rabbit A1 or the Humane pin.
“What’s out there is a solution looking for a problem that doesn’t exist,” said Hanneke Faber in an interview with Bloomberg. That seems to be the consensus among reviewers, and many early adopters, who found the Rabbit R1 to be little more than a stripped-down smartphone that was less capable than, well, a phone just running the ChatGPT app. The Humane pin was even more lampooned, with its questionable utility underscored by poor battery life and overheating issues for the projected hand screen. Both devices are now essentially dead.
That isn’t to say that Logitech has no ticket to the “AI” hype train. It sells a “Signature AI Edition” of the M750 mouse which has a dedicated assistant button right there on the top of the mouse. Logitech has an “AI” Prompt Builder that integrates with its omnibus Logi Options+ management app as well, allowing triggered actions on most of its mid-range and high-end keyboards and mice.
That being said, looking at the company’s latest products, it’s refreshing to see something that doesn’t have abominable intelligence plastered on every page. The MX Master 4 mouse and the Alto Keys 98M keyboard both omit any mention of “AI” on their promotional pages. The latter doesn’t even have a Copilot button, despite being a cross-platform Windows/Mac input device. With so many products and services apparently injecting “AI” into their features list apparently just to tick a box, I appreciate Logitech’s apparent resistance to the trend.
Faber also said that Logitech isn’t looking to raise prices again anytime soon, after a notable jump in sticker prices following the initial round of Trump tariffs. “…It had to be done and it was better to rip off the proverbial Band-Aid than kind of drag our feet, which some others did.” Logitech increased prices on some devices by around 25 percent in early 2025. That said, with pricing for chips and memory exploding, thanks largely to the “AI” industry boom, even low-end devices could see more pricing pressure in 2026.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.
